Ernst Kaether

Ernst Kaether
Born 25 September 1903
Aachen, Germany
Died 11 August 1999 (aged 95)
Puchheim, Germany
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Rank Oberst der Reserve
Unit 78th Infantry Division
Commands held Infanterie-Regiment 14
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Ernst Kaether (25 September 1903 – 11 August 1999) was an officer in the German Army (Heer) during World War II.

As a Lieutenant-Colonel (Oberstleutnant), Kaether commanded the 14th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Jäger Division. On 10 December 1942, as commander of this regiment, he received a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

On 22 April 1945, Kaether briefly replaced Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann as commander of the Berlin Defense Area and for the defense of the city of Berlin. Kaether was personally promoted to Generalleutnant by Adolf Hitler for this command.[1]

However, Kaether never actually took command of Berlin's defenses for the Battle of Berlin. Before he could take command, Hitler cancelled his promotions and Kaether was replaced by General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling.[2] For a brief period between Kaether and Weidling, Hitler himself took personal command of the Berlin defenses. Another newly promoted Generalmajor, Erich Bärenfänger, was Hitler's "deputy" commander of the Berlin Defense Area during this brief period.

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Scherzer as Oberstleutnant.[4]

References

Citations
  1. ↑ Beevor, Antony. Berlin: The Downfall 1945, Penguin Books, 2002, ISBN 0-670-88695-5, Page 268
  2. ↑ Beevor, Antony. Berlin: The Downfall 1945, Penguin Books, 2002, ISBN 0-670-88695-5, Page 286
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 248.
  4. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 428.
Bibliography
  • Beevor, Antony. Berlin: The Downfall 1945, Penguin Books, 2002, ISBN 0-670-88695-5
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Military offices
Preceded by
Hellmuth Reymann		 Commanders of the Berlin Defense Area
(Never in actual command)
22 April 1945 		Succeeded by
Erich Bärenfänger